A King's Knight
by Sutoriitoenzeru-Street Angel
Summary: Following the suspected murder of his friend Lelouche by the Britannian Military in Shinjuku Suzaku's faith in Britannia and the system is tested and he is sorely tempted to join the Black Knights. If he does, what will change? LuCC LuKa LuSh SuNu SuEu
1. Chapter 1

"The files you requested my Lord."

Kanon gave a short bow as he handed over the manila coloured file to the blonde haired prince. His dusty hair fell across his eyes and allowing him to observe Shneizel's reaction as he flipped through the folder. A slow smile spread across Shneizel's face, leaving his cheek on his hand and closing the file gently.

"So my dear brother is dead it seams and at the hands of a terrorist called Zero," Schneizel said quietly, closing the folder. He drummed his fingers lightly on the paper folder and looked up at Kanon, "I think we should take a trip to Area 11. Arrange it would you?"

"Yes my Lord," Kanon gave another bow and turned to leave.

"Oh and Kanon," Schneizel pushed himself into a seating position and linked his fingers in his lap.

Kanon stopped and turned to look over his shoulder, "Yes my Lord?"

Schneizel smiled softly, "Well done."

Kanon felt the heat rising in his cheeks. He bowed quickly and left to organise his majesties personal jet for the trans-pacific flight to the country once known as Japan.

--- Area 11 ---

The sky above was dark and the light from the moon that spilled through the holes in the roof didn't help. Suzaku stood in his prison clothes looking up at the man called Zero who stood on the wreckages of the first floor. Suzaku couldn't see his eyes so could only assume from the tilt of the mask that Zero was looking him in the face. He held that invisible gaze with a heavy heart as the purple and black of Zero's outfit reminded him of his friend Lelouche. Lloyd had told him that his friend's name had not appeared on the death toll of those counted in Shinjuku while he was imprisoned but that hadn't put him to rest. And what of Nunnally? How would she cope? Was she even alive? He hadn't had a chance to ask.

"It looks like they treated you rather roughly private Kurugi," Zero said calmly, snapping Suzaku out of his reverie. "Britannia is rotten, if you wish to bring change to this world, then join me!"

"Are you really the one who killed prince Clovis?" Suzaku demanded.

"This is war," was Zero's reply, "why wouldn't I kill an enemy commander?"

"And the gas?" Suzaku continued, still fixing his gaze on that impenetrable mask, "Those were civilians!"

"A bluff to help things along," Zero explained and Suzaku was momentarily taken aback. A bluff? Then what had that container been? Come to think of it, he'd seen it before. Yes during the Shinjuku incident it had been inside the truck, the girl, Lelouche!

"Then what was in that container?" Suzaku asked his previously detached tone breaking and a slight hint of desperation leaking in.

"Nothing."

"But," Suzaku stopped. If it hadn't been poison gas and there hadn't been anything in that container then why had the military been so set on getting it back? Was the poison gas a lie? A cover up or maybe it was just a way to justify the massacre that had happened in Shinjuku. Either way, it had cost him his friend and almost his own life. But that was worthless.

"Join me," Zero requested but it sounded more like a statement to Suzaku's ears.

Suzaku thought of Lloyd and Cecile then Lelouche and then Nunnally. Of the small, frail girl whose legs were thin and weak from disuse. Whose eyes he had never seen and who would never look on her brother again even if she recovered. "I..."

"We will bring down Britannia and rebuild a new nation, a nation that will look towards the future!" Zero declared, jumping down from the first level and making his way like a prowling cat down a pile of rubble from the collapse of the second floor to stand before Suzaku.

Suzaku swallowed hard. "I don't know," he looked away, "my court martial begins in an hour. I have to leave."

"You'll be killed!" Zero exclaimed reaching out to grab Suzaku's wrist, "the prosecution, the defence, the judge! All of them are already bought against you!"

"And if I run now then what sort of example would that set for other honorary Britannians? They'll declare me guilty despite your dramatic admission and it will only strengthen their excuse for prejudice! With Clovis gone aristocrats like Jeremiah Gottwald will revoke the honorary system all together!" Suzaku responded hotly wrenching his wrist free and beginning to stride towards the remains of the exit.

"Go then but we're not finished Suzaku Kurugi."

Suzaku said nothing and left.

---3 days later---

Suzaku listened to the news on the radio as Cecil drove him to his new school. After being mysteriously acquitted at his court martial he'd been enrolled into the local Ashford Academy. Lloyd had been disappointed, preferring to run endless trials on him and the Lancelot. As he'd thought, the Japanese were being blamed for Shinjuku and the poison gas was being used as their excuse. Suzaku frowned and turned to look out the window.

"Are you excited about today?" Cecile asked gently glancing at him a couple of times. Suzaku didn't look at her. He shrugged and Cecile's shoulders slumped. She'd been glad when Suzaku was acquitted and he'd returned to the special core but he hadn't been the same. She'd heard him muttering names in his sleep and Lloyd had told her he had asked him to check the death lists for a friend's name but no matches. But there had been hundreds of death in Shinjuku and there was no way to count them all. She saw Suzaku's fist clench on his thigh and winced, he'd barely spoken in the last couple of days and she didn't think Ashford had been the most logical choice either. As an honorary Britannian to most that would still classify Suzaku as an eleven, a mere number. And to Ashford's students, the children of the nobles of Britannia, Suzaku would be an easy target. It was almost like sending him before a firing squad and not for the first time she wondered if this was a way of punishing Suzaku.

"Well, here we are," she said cheerily, determined to wish him well on his way. Suzaku looked at her and gave her a half-smile with a nod of thanks before getting out and striding through the golden gates, bag under his arm, without a backward glance.

Cecile watched until he was out of site and waiting a good time after before driving back to the lab.

---Ashford Academy student council room---

Rivalz slumped in his chair and tried not to look at Shirley. The orange haired girl's eyes, cheeks and nose were red, tears streamed down her face and she clung to the front of Milly's jacket and sobbed into the blonde's shoulder. The usually excitable Madame President was subdued and quiet and merely rubbed Shirley's back comfortingly. Nina was typing silently on her laptop but with much less vigour than her usual self.

Rivalz fists and jaw clenched, the muscles in his face tightening. It should be like this, Lelouche should be here, Shirley's cheeks should be red from blushing after nearly being caught sneaking glances at Lelouche. Milly should be twirling about making Nina blush with her outrages comments and he shoulder be watching her. But Lelouche would never return. Shirley had had a call from him about Shinjuku, the next day Shinjuku was on the news destroyed and Lelouche had not been home that night. Nor any of the nights that followed.

Nunnally wouldn't come out of her room.

Rivalz slammed his fist on the desk and stormed out, ignoring the startled cries behind him he barely saw where he was going until he collided with something solid and fell back. A hand caught his wrist and steadied him before he lost his balance. He looked up to see a boy with curly brown hair and green eyes, "Who're you?" Rivalz asked on instinct not having seen this stranger around campus before.

"My name is Suzaku Kurugi I-"

"Wait you're the one that was accused of assassinating Prince Clovis," Rivalz face contorted. This boy, this traitor, this eleven had been allowed to live but not his best friend? Where was Lelouche!

Suzaku looked down, he'd endured whispers, taunts and not just a few pranks today and he hadn't been in a good mood to begin with. Hardening his expression he shouldered roughly past the blue haired boy he'd nearly knocked down and walked into the room he'd been directed to. The student council club room.

He knocked on the open door, "Excuse me."

Milly looked up and blinked, Shirley had reduced herself to quiet sobs and buried her head in her arms on the table when Rivalz had stormed out. She hadn't attempt to call after him, what could she say? The boy had just lost his best friend and unshed tears stung her own eyes for the loss of Lelouche. "Um...yes," she said, pushing herself from her chair into a standing position. Her knees clicked and she swallowed to compose herself.

"My name is Suzaku Kurugi, "I'd like to apply to join the student council." Suzaku looked around, a girl with green hair was at a lap top and had jolted when she heard his name but had not turned around. In fact, her typing had gotten more erratic. Another girl, with orange hair, was hunched over the table, shoulders shaking didn't acknowledge him and a blonde, who had obviously been in the process of comforting her fellow council member, had stood up to face him.

"Is this a bad time?" Suzaku asked mustering up all the worry in his tone that he could spare.

The blonde girl's shoulders slumped and she sighed, "Someone we knew, was lost in Shinjuku."

Suzaku's heart gave a jolt. Lost in Shinjuku? But these were the heirs to the aristocrats, what would anyone they knew be doing in Shinjuku? Were they pilots or members of the guard? "Who?" he couldn't stop himself from asking.

"His name was Lelouche Lamperouge," the blonde replied, her tone dismal.

Suzaku's eyes widened, "Le-lelouche," he repeated in disbelief.

"You knew him?" the blonde asked cocking her head to the side, "wait, Suzaku Kurugi, you were in Shinjuku," she pointed a finger at him but the orange haired girl got there first.

Standing so fast her chair fell over Shirley flung herself towards Suzaku, "Did you see Lulu? Do you know where he is? Is he alright?!" She gripped the front of his jacket, amber eyes searching his emerald ones frantically.

Suzaku looked down at this girl, so distraught and didn't see orange hair and yellow eyes but brown hair and tightly closed eyes leaking tears of pain. He looked away, "I'm sorry," he murmured.

Milly moved forward to support Shirley as the other girl's knees buckled and she collapsed sobbing in Milly's arms. Suzaku stepped away then looked up at Milly, "Excuse me but...was there a girl...Lelouche's sister...Nunnally?"

Milly froze, her grip on Shirley tightening. This boy, who seemed to have prior knowledge of Lelouche and even Nunnally, had he discovered their identity? Was Nunnally in danger? She'd promised Lelouche long ago to look after her if he couldn't but she didn't know how to respond to this boy. If she told him no and he asked anyone else in the school any of them could tell them of Lelouche's disabled younger sister in the lower years. Then he'd know she was lying and if he wasn't already suspicious of her then her lying would confirm his suspicions. If he thought Nunnally was a threat then her lying would make it seem like Nunnally had something to hide.

"Uh...yes," Milly replied, biting her lip and swallowing hard, hoping she wouldn't regret this, "she lives... she lives on campus."

Suzaku nodded, "Could you take me to her?"

Milly gave a small inclination of her head of the affirmative and Suzaku, taking the hint, walked out and waited outside the closed door as Milly calmed Shirley. A few minutes later Milly stepped out shutting the door behind her and gesturing for Suzaku to follow. Suzaku did so.

"How did you know Lulu?" Milly asked quietly, her voice hitching at the pet name.

"We were friends once a long time ago," Suzaku replied shifting his bag.

Milly didn't ask any further questions.

Sayoko answered the door and took Suzaku to Nunnally's door, Milly left to return to the council room.

"I'm afraid she won't come out," Sayoko said quietly, "the young mistress hasn't left her bed in days. Maybe an old friend will cheer her up." With that the maid opened the door and Suzaku stepped through.

Her hair was longer than he remembered and she was taller too. Sat up in bed, propped up only by the pile of pillows behind her, her hands lay limply in her lap. Tangled curls and waves of pale brown hair spilled around her and there were streaks on her cheeks from her tears. Suzaku stepped forward and she jolted but otherwise did nothing to acknowledge the new presence in the room.

"Miss Nunnally," Sayoko said gently from here she waited in the doorway, " you have a visitor."

Nunnally didn't respond.

Suzaku felt routed to the spot, part of him didn't want to go any further. Didn't want to touch her or comfort her or acknowledge that his friend and her brother was gone, that he'd failed yet another. Then there was the other part that remembered those days when they were children, walking carrying her, sitting her between him and Lelouche, inventing games for her to play, anything to see her smile. The part that longed to make her smile even now, the part that couldn't bear to see her lying limp and broken like a discarded doll, he stepped forward.

Sitting on the edge of the bed he saw her flinch and tense up. He reached for her hand. She drew it away sharply at the slightest touch. She screamed.

"Get away! Where is Nii-san? Where is he? Get away!"

Sayoko rushed forward to calm her, shooing Suzaku away from the bed as Nunnally shook and struggled in her arms. Suzaku stumbled back and could only watch.

He swallowed and clenched his fists at his sides, no, he wouldn't give up, he couldn't; he had to protect Nunnally for Lelouche. "Nunnally," he ventured quietly.

Nunnally stilled at the sound of his voice and Sayoko tentatively released her.

"Suzaku?" Nunnally asked; her voice hoarse from crying.

"It's me."

"Suzaku," her breath hitched and she reached out a trembling hand. Sayoko stepped away.

Walking forward Suzaku took her hand in both of his, sitting beside her.

"Suzaku, Nii-san....he....he's..."

"Ssh, I know," he reached forward and stroked her hair with one hand. She moved towards him curling around him and resting her head in his lap. He felt her shaking and embraced her with one arm as her hands gripped his other. Sayoko excused herself quietly and Suzaku rubbed Nunnally's back until she fell silent.

"Nunnally, you can't stay in here," he ventured after seemingly endless moments of silence.

She shook her head in denial and he knew what she must be thinking. If she went outside there would be no warm presence, nor comforting voice or familiar touch of her brother to great her. And in so being it would only hammer home the point that she would never feel those things again. For a girl that had lost so much already, to be torn from the last face she remembered must be heartbreaking. Still, shut away in a room, living in denial of reality and never quite able to escape it and without any method of ultimate relief, disabled as she was would be even more so.

"You must," he continued, "Lelouche wouldn't want you to be like this. He'd want you to live Nunnally. That's all he ever wanted."

Not for the first time since his court martial Suzaku found himself thinking of Zero. Killing without mercy, without discrimination was wrong, but at least Zero had limited it to the side he opposed. Whereas the Britannian army, the very organisation he had fought so hard to enter, had no doubt shot Lelouche and covered it up as just another nameless number, hiding behind the poison gas as a way of disposing any that got in their way. Shredding the peaceful lives of loved ones all over the once proud nation of Japan and not even Nunnally had been safe. He couldn't bare it.

"Suzaku," he looked up as Nunnally sat up, sitting beside him, her hip touching his, but her facing him. One hand held his in his lap and the other reached up to cradle his face and gently brushing away the tears he didn't know where there with her thumb. Soft and warm she was, not even a callus on her hand. Not like his, rough and worn and weathered. "My mother told me once, that a warm touch was the best cure for tears."

Suzaku was almost prepared to laugh. Here she had lain in despair and now she found the courage to comfort him in her hour of need. Doing for him what he was trying to do for her. And she'd said those words to him before, so long ago in their child hood, when the devastation that surrounded him had almost been too much to bear. Yet she, who could neither see nor walk, who by all rights should see the world as dark and without hope, still reached out to him with that flickering ray of light that was her candle to his darkness.

He wrapped his arms around her waist and hers went around his neck and together like that they stayed. They neither spoke nor cried for there was nothing of one and too much of the other.

Sayoko knocked on the door and the pair of them jumped, Nunnally shifted back to lie against the pillows, a gently but lively flush to her cheeks. Suzaku shot to his feet as the woman opened the door and entered baring a tray of tea and cakes. She set it down on the bed and excused herself but paused at the door. "It's good to see you looking a little better miss Nunnally," and with that she left.

Suzaku pulled up a nearby chair to sit by the bed and served Nunnally her portion. He set some of the cake on a fork for her and wiped away the crumbs that gathered at the corner of her mouth. The two talked, about the past, about their time apart and about the future. Time passed and soon Nunnally was tired so Suzaku helped her to lie down and held her hand till she fell asleep and waited some time after before he left. Selfishly indulging in her peaceful and relaxed expression and her rhythmic breathing in sleep to sooth his own soul.

He bid Sayoko goodbye as he left and continued to the school gates where Cecile was waiting for him.

He got in, buckled his seat belt without a word and turned once more to look out the window as she started the vehicle. Despite his act of indifference she could tell he wasn't as dismal as that morning and she smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

. Euphemia let out a sigh as she looked around once more at the lush gardens spread out before her. A short while ago she'd heard the news of Clovis' death, it had been a shock and it had made her very sad. Clovis had had the same charisma as Schneizel but had always been so much more, expressive she supposed was the right word. If time were to stand still and nothing changed she imaged Schneizel would be quite happy. Gabriella had taken it worst of all, locking herself away in her room and screaming for days. When she had finally been led out she had looked pale and gaunt, black rings around her sunken listless eyes.

It reminded her of when Lady Marianne had died, the look on Lelouche's face when he'd heard Nunnally would never walk or see again. The hatred and frustration as he'd stormed off to demand an audience with their father. Of all her brothers Euphie had liked Clovis and Lelouche the most and now she had lost them both. Tears sprung to her eyes and she felt sure she would cry. She jumped when she heard footsteps behind her. She turned.

The servant bowed, "Pardon the intrusion my lady, but you've been requested in the burgundy hall, Princess Cornelia has returned from Area 18 and wishes to speak with you."

Euphie's face brightened, "Sister," she exclaimed as she got to her feet, "thank-you for delivering the message, would you tell her I'll be there shortly."

The servant bowed again, "Yes you're highness."

She watched the servant walk towards the main house and decided she'd walk the longer route through the gardens to clear her head.

---Burgundy Hall---

Cornelia sat back in one of the comfortable chairs, a set of refreshments set out on the table in front of her and the chair opposite her empty. The servant had returned with Euphie's message over ten minutes ago and Cornelia didn't like to be kept waiting. Even by her darling younger sister. But it was to be expected, Euphie's heart was bigger than most and the news of Clovis' death had been painful for her. Damned Zero, she was glad she had been re-assigned to Area 11, she would relish the chance to drive Zero into the open and take her revenge.

The door opened and Euphemia stepped through, Guilford holding the door open for her. Euphie gave him a small smile and polite nod as she turned to walk towards her sister. Guilford pulled the door shut behind her, bowing his head to his princess as their eyes met.

Cornelia shifted her gaze back to Euphie as her younger sister sat opposite her and pulled a cup towards her. "Tea sister?" Euphie asked.

"Please," Cornelia replied.

"I hear you conquered Saudi Arabia, I mean Area 18," Euphie corrected herself, her lips turned down in a slight frown.

"You don't approve do you," Cornelia asked but it was more of a statement than a question. Euphie didn't answer, merely handed her sister a cup of tea, then sat back.

"But I assume you've come here to tell me more than that," Euphie said.

"Area 11 has been left without a governor and I've been appointed Viceroy, you are to come with me," Cornelia explained.

"I what? But sister my degree!"

"It is by orders of the Emperor Euphie," Cornelia effectively cut of Euphie's protests. Cornelia tell that Euphemia wasn't happy but there was little she could do. Their father felt that Euphie needed to gain experience of the real world instead of locking herself up in education.

"So I can be another political tool like Lelouche and Nunnally?" Euphemia demanded, her lilac eyes blazing as she faced her sister across the table.

"Euphemia!" The use of her full name made the younger of the two quail and she fell silent. "Be careful what you say sister, lesser comments than that have been taken for treason."

Euphemia's grip clenched so hard around her cup she thought she might break it. She knew why her sister was on edge, Zero; the man who killed Clovis. She loved her father and she loved Britannia but she couldn't love the number system. People were people no matter where they lived or who ruled, no one deserved to have their identity taken from them. In a way she empathised with the numbers, they were designated by their number to a certain level in life, that was their station and that was where they would stay. She, a princess of the royal Britannian blood line was expected to do as much. To show favour for pureblood, well bred Britannians and no other, to show her loyalty to the crown by oppressing the weak and those that couldn't fend for themselves against the superior technology of the Knightmare Frame.

"Euphie?" Cornelia ventured.

"I will come sister and I am happy to be able to accompany you," Euphemia replied but her heart did not match her words.

Cornelia nodded, a fitting answer even if it didn't fit with Euphie. It was like Euphie was a circle and Area 11 was an oval hole, she'd just about fit if you pushed right but there would be gaps to fill.

---Ashford Academy---

Classes were over for the day and Suzaku had asked Cecile to come for him later than usual, he'd promised Nunnally that he would have dinner with her. Walking towards the east wing he knocked. Sayoko opened the door and led him inside to where Nunnally sat at the dining table, squares of coloured paper surrounding her and a multitude of paper cranes.

"Good evening Nunnally," Suzaku said as he pulled out a chair beside her and reached out his hand for hers.

"Oh Suzaku," a smile tugged at her lips and she reached out her own hand, his moving to grip hers. He felt her relax under his touch and smiled a little. He couldn't replace Lelouche but he would take care of Nunnally.

"What are you doing?" Suzaku asked picking up a purple crane and examining. It was messily folded and he noted that most of them were.

"Sayoko-san taught me how to make paper cranes, it's a Japanese art isn't it Suzaku? Origami," Nunnally said as she drew her hand from his to continue folding the crane she'd been working on when he entered.

"Yes that's right." Suzaku counted the number, seventeen in all, she'd been at this a while.

"Sayoko-san also said that if you fold one thousand you get to make a wish." Nunnally's voice trailed off as she finished that sentence and Suzaku knew instinctively what Nunnally would wish for.

"What would you wish for?" he asked.

She smiled faintly, "If I told you Suzaku, it wouldn't come true." Her voice was subdued but Suzaku admired the trickle of hope laced within it. A single mismatched glittering thread in the dull, fraying tapestry of life. He smiled.

"Would you like me to help?"

"No," she replied firmly, "I have to make them myself. But what about you're day Suzaku?"

"I joined the student council," he replied, "it's required that everyone join a club."

"Onii-san was on the council," Nunnally said quietly and Suzaku winced. Did she think he was trying to replace Lelouche? Should he join a different club, had he upset her? "I'm glad you have, onii-san would never say it but he enjoyed it. I'm sure you'll have fun too Suzaku."

It unnerved Suzaku how much her approval lightened the tight feeling in his chest. He wondered if what he was doing wasn't for Nunnally's sake at all but his own. Visiting her every afternoon after school, dining with her, talking with her and going out of his way to make her smile. Making himself late for work, feeling overly full and sick being unable to refuse Cecile's cooking even after eating a full meal, gossiping about his classmates just to have something to tell. Was he attempting to punish himself, making his own life harder to justify feeling miserable when she didn't.

A hand cupped his cheek and his head snapped up, his eyes focussing on her face. "Thank-you Suzaku."

"W-what for?" he stammered, he blushed and felt embarrassed but if she noticed she didn't say. Nunnally always had been strangely empathetic.

"For being such a good friend," she leaned forward and kissed his cheek and his face flamed. He leaned back and swallowed hard, making an incoherent noise that sounded vaguely like 'it's okay'. She giggled. "Still so shy Suzaku?"

That tight feeling that had begun to clench around his heart again left at the sound of her laugh. His pulse picked up. It frightened him.

He checked his watch. He'd barely been here ten minutes. "I should go Nunnally, I've been here ages and Cecile will be expecting me."

"Oh..." she sounded disappointed, "time flies I suppose. Well you can't be late Suzaku, will you come by tomorrow?"

"If I can," he replied. He brushed his fingers over hers by way of a farewell and left quickly. It was half an hour before he'd arranged with Cecile to pick him up. He began walking towards the town. He could get the bus.

---Imperial Suite, The Duchess Hotel---

Euphemia sat on the edge of her four poster bed and looked around dejectedly at her lavish surroundings. It was almost too glamorous. Cornelia had left some time before, official Viceroy duties she supposed and two guards had been stationed outside the door in case any terrorists saw her as a prime target. But then she supposed that maybe the guards were her sister's way of keeping Euphie in as opposed to keeping unwanted visitors out.

Sighing Euphie pushed herself to her feet and walked towards the window. She did have a beautiful view of the city. The sunlight glistened off the water in the river, people bustled past below, mothers and children, groups of friends, men in suits and a collection of brightly coloured vendor's stalls arranged in a row selling assortments of food and other delightful treats.

Gazing down she pondered her odds if she jumped. No doubt it would result in several broken bones, being three floors up and all. Turning away from the window she twirled around causing her skirt to flair and fell back onto her bed, the sheets billowing slightly about her. Wait...the sheets! Three layers of Egyptian cotton sheets below the duvet. Perfect! Stripping the bed hurriedly she tied to the sheets together and fashioned herself a rope. Attaching it to one of the posters of the bed, it being the sturdiest piece of furniture in the room, she tossed the rest of the sheets from the open window.

She looked out again, no one had noticed the sheets hanging from the window as far as she could see. Hoisting herself up onto the sill she swung her legs out, grabbed a hold of the sheets and began to shimmy down. What she didn't realise was that the sheeting only reached the first floor.

---Suzaku---

Suzaku walked past the high rise buildings of the settlement, sparring vague glances at the vendors calling out their wears but not really interested.

"Look out below!"

Suzaku's gaze snapped upwards, just in time to be enveloped in a billowing white...skirt? He gave a yelp of surprise and collapsed to the ground with a weight on top of his chest.

"Oh I'm sorry," the thing on top of him said, "I didn't see you till after I'd leaped."

"Uh," Suzaku blinked. There was a girl, straddling him, long pink hair falling her over shoulders and twirled into two buns either side of her head. "It's okay," he trailed off, "but...would you mind?"

"Oh," she flushed and quickly stood up. The couple of people who were looking at them curiously went on with their business, seeing as nothing interesting was going to happen. Having not yet made her formal debut Euphie supposed most didn't recognise the third princess of Britannia. She fidgeted, nervously as the boy she had landed on got to his feet. He was a handsome, tanned young man with brown curly hair and dress in a smart black uniform trimmed with gold. A schoolboy.

"I'm so sorry for landing on you like that please excuse me," Euphie said clasping her hands and bowing slightly. She turned to go.

"Wait," the boy grabbed her wrist and she twisted around to look at him "I don't often have girls fall on me out of the sky, any particular reason why?"

Euphie's eyes darted up at the sheets billowing out of her once window, then cast a furtive look about her before looking back at the emerald eyed boy. "The truth is," she leaned forward conspiratorially, "bad people are chasing me and they locked me in that room," she pointed. "Please, won't you help me escape?"

The boy looked genuinely shocked and for a moment looked ready to refuse, then his eyes met hers again and he swallowed. "Yes, of course."

He took her aside to a stand and bought her a pair of dark sunglasses and a hat. She giggled and gathered up her hair, tucking it neatly into an oversized purple beret until only two streams of pink fell over her shoulders to her waist, curling into jagged ringlets. The beret hung at a jaunty angle and she examined herself in the mirror of the vendors stall as she slipped the dark glasses over her eyes and giggled again.

He took her wrist and lead her away from the busy street to a well kept park area. His face seemed oddly familiar and it wasn't for a moment that she recognised him.

"We haven't introduced ourselves," Euphie said brightly, "my name is Euphie."

He opened his mouth to reply but she cut him off, "Don't tell me, I already know who you are, Private Suzaku Kururugi son of late Prime Minister Genbu Kururugi."

Suzaku grew suspicious and paused mid-stride, "You lied before," he accused without turning, "there's no one chasing you at all is there-"

He might have been going to say something more but the sight of Euphie knelt down before an injured cat, meowing at it and receiving what might have been mistaken for genuine replies from said aforementioned feline, stopped him mid-sentence. He looked at her in bewilderment as she picked the cat up under its forelimbs and presented it to him. He blinked at it for a moment then reached to stroke it. And yelped when the blasted cat sunk its teeth into his finger. Euphie laughed.

They walked and talked for the entire afternoon, Euphie latching into his arm and asking him to take her to monuments, art galleries, snack stands of things she'd never tried. Suzaku blushed and answered her many questions as best he could and had to stop himself admiring her when she wasn't looking. She was very beautiful and her dress was very flattering, tight to the waist and flaring at the hips. He found himself relaxing around her in a way he only did with Nunnally these days and for one blissful afternoon forgot everything that worried him.

"Suzaku would you take me to one more place please?" Euphie asked.

He smiled and placed one arm behind his back and his other across his chest in the typical Britannian salute and bowed. "Anywhere you wish my lady."

"Please escort me to the Shinjuku ghetto."

Suzaku froze and looked up at her, hoping he hadn't heard her right. Her features were firm and there was no doubt she had meant what she said. He swallowed hard to combat the lump rising in his throat at the thought of returning to the place where he'd lost Lelouche. Where he'd failed to protect his friend. Where he'd let Nunnally down so badly and couldn't even bring himself to tell her he'd been there. How could he even face her?

"Euphie I..."

"Please Suzaku," she begged quietly; taking her hands in his, "I need to see it."

He couldn't seem to refuse her. So he had taken her and he'd stood before a memorial chipped, cracked, broken and weathered by the two battles it had seen and found himself pouring himself out to her. His dream to avenge his father by changing Britannia for the better even if he didn't know how. He'd frozen in shock when she had wrapped her arms around him from behind and rested her cheek against the back off his shoulder.

"Thank-you," was all he could say.

She'd smiled.

"I've seen enough Suzaku, would you escort me back please?"

"Of course my lady," he gave her a nod and offered her arm to her. She took it and smiled at him as they walked through the remains of the ghetto. Passed the collapsed buildings, pillars and pipes shoved into the ground, vertically aligned and bedecked with tokens of loved ones in an imitation of a formal graveyard. Euphie's eyes darkened, Suzaku frowned and quickened his pace.

They arrived back in the settlement to find Lloyd and Cecile parked on the roadside with Lancelot's mobile unit. Suzaku wondered how long they'd been following him. "Would you like a ride home Suzaku?" Cecile asked smiling, "you're friend can come too if she likes."

"Could we drop Euphie off outside The Duchess Hotel?" Suzaku asked.

"Of course," Cecile replied.

"Thank-you for your kindness," Euphie said as she climbed in. She blinked as she recognised the man in the driver's seat. Lloyd Asplund. She'd seen him before with her brother Schneizel discussing 'Avalon' in the home land. So this is where he'd disappeared off to. She glanced furtively at Suzaku who was talking with Cecile. She hadn't told him she was royalty, it was hard to find genuine people from her position and she'd enjoyed his company immensely, honorary Britannian or otherwise. She glanced back at Lloyd who she could see was smirking too himself and if he did recognise her he didn't seem to be about to acknowledge that fact.

She smiled at him through the rear view mirror as way of thanks and relaxed back into her seat easing into a conversation with Suzaku.

Cecile raised an eyebrow as she saw the smile the pink haired girl sent Lloyd and the knowing smirk on her employers face made her itch with curiosity. Her interest however was pulled to the young pair in the back seats. It was the most she'd heard out of Suzaku for a while now and she was glad but she wondered as to the identity of the purple eyed stranger and how she had met Suzaku. She wasn't wearing the Ashford uniform so she wasn't a student or if she was had she changed especially for the occasion. Had this been a date?

They dropped Euphie off outside the hotel. She'd kissed Suzaku's cheek before she left though and he could only blush and touch the place where her lips had met his skin as Lloyd drove him home. Two kisses in one day and on opposing cheeks. This was not normal.

**Review Responses:**

**JWM – Ah but that is entirely why there is no prologue. You don't know where Lelouche is, Suzaku doesn't know where Lelouche is so you empathise. The Nunnally x Suzaku is one-sided just to let you know and will change later as each moves on respectively.**

**Velshard – Glad you like, as I've already informed you there won't be any Lelouche x Suzaku, this story has those two listed as the primary and secondary characters because it revolves around them and how their relationship would change. Hope you enjoy this chapter too**

**MisterSP – XD**

**KingsJester – You really think so? Honestly I beamed all day because of your review *hug***

**2stupid – We shall see**

**Well no sign of Lelouche and no mention of the Black Knights in this chapter but we get see that Euphie wasn't all too happy to be coming to Area 11. Now the changes begin to show as Euphie joins Ashford Academy but will Suzaku be able to keep Nunnally and Euphie separate to keep Nunnally safe?**


End file.
